


Kaleidoscope

by GlassAlice



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Best Friends, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Jealous Roronoa Zoro, M/M, Minor Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law, Oblivious Monkey D. Luffy, POV Roronoa Zoro, Pining, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Tumblr Prompt, a dumpster of my ships, dumb boys, soft, this is a trashfire of my feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-03-08 23:31:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18904879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassAlice/pseuds/GlassAlice
Summary: HS AU - Zoro dedicated his life to his sword after the death of his childhood friend, Kuina. His days were all the same: school, training, sleep, repeat. A gray blur of existing. Even worse, he finds out that they were soulmates and now he's destained to spend the rest of his life alone. That is until he meets the boy as bright as the sun, Monkey D. Luffy. Zoro's world slowly fills with color, but the brighter the light the darker the shadow.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw [THIS](https://yuzuling.tumblr.com/post/185002233963/lawlu-vhazzrhossze-zoroshi-zolu-aus-id) on tumblr and i couldn't decide because they are all so good and all things i LOVE so i'm just...doing a mishmash of all of them

The autumn sky filled with storm clouds, blotting out the sun. Class was over and all the students broke apart. Zoro stood by the window watching as the clouds gobbled up the last orange rays of the setting sun. A fitting sky for a day like today. He pushed himself off the wall with his shoulder and moved to change. 

Today was the anniversary of Kuina’s death.

Zoro hefted his gym bag over his shoulder and zipped his sword in its carrier. Nothing but a long sleeved shirt protected him from the chill breeze. Freezing drops fell from the sky, soaking the world in gray. It was too early for snow but this felt colder than a winter rain. He tucked his head into his shoulders as he made his way down the street. The graveyard wasn’t far but he would definitely be soaked before he got there.

He let the cold seep into his bones and chill the ache in his chest, he reveled in the physical pain that matched the pain in his heart. After all these years it still hurt. He would be starting highschool tomorrow and if she were here, they might be starting together. Be fighting over captain of the kendo club-- be doing anything as long as it was together.

Zoro turned into the small plot of land. Flat stones glistened in neat rows as wilted flowers poked out of pre-placed cups. A few had silk flowers that looked just as wilted as they soaked in the rain and bleached by the sun. He wouldn’t be surprised if he mirrored them, drowned and hollow.

There were a few other people here despite the rain, though most of them had the foresight to be standing under umbrellas. Zoro let himself shiver before he turned toward his destination. Kuina’s stone. He fell hard to the muddy grass and pulled his sword tight to his chest. 

“Hey,” Zoro said out loud. “I know I’m late, but Happy birthday. I got you something.” It wasn’t actually her birthday but he couldn’t bring himself to come that day. His present looked quite shabby now and paper was torn in a few places.

Shifting his sword so that he could use both his hands, Zoro pulled a small package out of his gym bag. 

“It’s an uchiko.” 

Zoro tisked himself, this was stupid. Why did he think this would make him feel better? It never did, yet he came back every year. He stuck the wrapped box corner-down into the flower pot and stood up. This wasn’t going to bring her back and it wasn’t going to fix anything. Sitting back he looked up at the rain overhead, letting it mix with the wetness on his cheeks. 

The storm was concealing the time but it was probably well past dinner; he should get home. Using his knee as momentum, Zoro pushed himself halfway up when someone ran into him. Left hand reached out reflexively, bracing against the headstone, the other grabbed onto a warm hand. 

“Sorry, sorry,” the stranger mumbled but used their linked hands to pull Zoro to standing.

In the back of his mind Zoro made a note that for such a small boy he was quite strong. He couldn’t see a face; the boy was all black hair and straw hat. Said hat was pulled down almost comically over his face. The peak of a turned down mouth was all that was visible. 

Zoro grunted a reply that stranger didn’t seem to care about as he was already walking away. A clap of thunder shocked Zoro into looking at the sky, but the after image of the strange boy was fixed in his eyes. The red of the boy’s shirt and hat band faded to green against the clouds. Zoro fiddled with his katana, making sure the case was still protecting it after the jossle. 

Red flashed at the corner of his eye. 

Zoro held up his hand. A thin, translucent string shimmered on his left ring finger. A soul knot. 

He’d read about it happening now and then, a red string would appear whenever you touched your soulmate but that was a myth, a legend, a fairytale for children. This was real life. He blinked and the string disappeared. 

Cruel; that’s what life was. 

He looked down at the stone not wanting to know what this meant. He’d touched Kuina’s grave and now this… This _shit_. Zoro bit his lip to keep from screaming. How dare the fates do this to him, to _her_.

He wouldn’t cry and he wouldn’t think about this night ever again. The rain trickled to a stop as if signaling the end of something and Zoro shivered. It was time to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my overall plan is to write un-beta'd and post as the feels come to me. So please excuse spelling/grammar. Like i said in the tags this is a dumpster for my feelings and i'm in the middle of dressrosa arc and need to let my feelings out somewhere! i'm also a sucker for HS aus so...
> 
> i've been a zolu fan since ep 3 or whatever zoro's first ep was and tbh this fandom STILL doesn't have enough zolu to feed my greed so...here this is


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro finds out more about this new school and meets the boy that will change his life forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first real chapter! After I started this the cup noodle commercial exploded and i'm :0 It really helped me visualize the crew as high schoolers XD Also luffy jumping down from the roof to approach zoro??? yes i'm here for this good content!!!
> 
> *cough* 
> 
> right, my story. Well, I finally know my plot for this monster. Please enjoy some of the twists!

**A Year and a Half Later, Spring: The first day of East Blue High**

Zoro laced the tie around his neck, grunted and pulled it loose across his bare chest. Slipping on his shirt, he buttoned it half way up, leaving his chest open to the spring air. The uniform jacket hung from his bedroom door. Eyeing it, he was almost tempted to bypass the preppy thing for his usual leather. With a sigh, he pulled it from its hanger and ran a thumb over the school patch before flinging it over his shoulders. His mom paid good money for it, so he was going to wear it. Using his teeth, he tied his bandana around his upper arm. Uniform or not, he would never leave home without it; rules be damned.

East Blue had a strict dress code, but Zoro figured he was wearing the whole outfit so it didn't matter _how_ he wore it. The high school his jr. high fed into was shutting down. His whole class was being shifted into East Blue, which was an hour away by bus and cost a pretty berri. It used to be public but had been taken over by a charter school. Hence, the uniforms.

He didn’t spare his reflection a second glance as he ran downstairs. Sitting on the kitchen table was a lunch box, some onigiri, and a note. He glanced over it before putting it back and stuffing an onigiri in his mouth. Grabbing his box lunch, he stuffed it into his bag. 

His mom was already gone; she left for work before he even woke up and would be back long after he slept. Life of a working, single mom, he guessed. Sometimes he was envious when other parents came to watch their kids, but he enjoyed the freedom at home. 

Other kids had curfews or couldn’t eat ice cream whenever they wanted. It had to suck. Probably. An image of eating ice cream with his mom, laughing and talking popped into his head. Pushing it down, he took another onigiri from the pile and set off. He didn’t say anything to the empty house as he left. 

The bus stop, at least, was close to home, only 3 blocks down. Zoro set off at a lazy pace, fishing in his gym bag for his headphones. 

Nothing. 

He paused and dug deeper, between sweaty underwear and unwashed bandages. No, no sign of headphones or the phone they were attached to. 

He didn’t have a major phone habit or anything. Zoro often left his phone at the dojo or in weird places like the freezer. So, it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it _was_ annoying. It meant an hour trip and nothing to do.

Zoro shoved his hands in his pockets and resigned himself to the boring day ahead. 

East Blue High was outside the city, up against the beach. It wasn’t so much a school as it was an office surrounded by portables. The main building housed math, science, and history. All other subjects were taught in the portables which meant lots of running back and forth for class. The cafeteria had no tables; students were expected to grab their lunch and eat outside. Lunch territory was a hot commodity and often fought over. But the one thing EBHS could boast about was their sports center. Baseball, basketball, and swimming were the big three money makers. Their success dictated how many other sports received funding. 

Unfortunately for Zoro, kendo was not considered a money maker. The school board downgraded the team to a _circle_ two years ago. Being a _circle_ instead of an official sport meant they had to find outside funding to survive. Circle meetings took place in the foreign language department before school. That was where Zoro was going. 

Class list in hand, Zoro took a right past the office. The list outlined the location, teacher, and time of each class. He had Algebra first, then History, Bio, Lit, and photography. He’d thought about taking a study hall to catch up on sleep but his mom insisted he take some kind of art. Arguing that he studied the art of the sword didn't go over well. It landed him with her old polaroid in his hand and instructions to expand his hobbies. Thankfully, it was his last class so more often than not, he’d be able to skip it.

Concrete gave way to sand and Zoro looked up. This wasn’t the foreign language department. He wasn’t even sure if this was still school grounds. The ocean was sparkling in the morning sun and he could see people already speckling the beach. 

“Oof,” Zoro grunted. Scrambling to stay upright, he caught himself on the hard body that slammed into him. A zap of electricity stung his palms and his whole body tingled at the contact. He pushed the body away to come face to face with dark brown eyes. Zapped hands forgotten, he froze. 

A shorter, lanky boy stood dripping from head to toe in a matching school uniform. His pants were rolled up above his knees and he was holding sandals. It was quite obvious that he’d taken a dip in the ocean. Why anyone would want swim in the freezing spring ocean was beyond him. 

“Sorry,” the boy said, looking him up and down. “Woah! You’re big. Are you really a student?” The boy’s eyes lit up with his smile. 

What the hell; who was this kid? 

“I’m Luffy!” 

Wait. Did he say that out loud? 

“Are you going to the beach? Because class is about to start.” 

Zoro could feel a vein in his forehead twitch with each word. “I could say the same for you!” 

“Nah, I already went,” Luffy said, waving off his comment. 

Out of reflex Zoro reached for his shinai, a habit he did when he was feeling off kilter. And this boy definitely made him feel off kilter. His hand touched air, though, since his sword was tucked away in his bag. He didn’t like this boy, not one bit. 

“Ah, you dropped this.” Luffy bent down to pick up the class schedule. “Uh-oh, it got dirty.” He wiped the dirt and sand that was stuck to it on his pants and handed it over. It dripped water between them.

Zoro took the paper without thinking.

“Well, I'm gonna to head to class; see you.” Luffy jogged in place for a moment then ran, waving behind him. 

Zoro stood slack jawed, watching a straw hat bounce against Luffy’s back. 

Lightning flashed through his nerves at the sight, his vision filled with red. Not in an angry way, but in a delicate way. The soft red of the sun behind eyelids. Or was it more of a red pressed against dark clouds? He wasn’t sure, but before he could pin down the feeling, it was gone. 

Zoro mentally shook off the meeting. It was useless to think on such pointless things. He ignored the thrum of his heart and the afterimage of that sunshine-bright smile. 

The bell rang, snapping Zoro out of his daze. Shit. He was late. Making sure he had his bag and shinai, he ran in the direction the other boy disappeared. If the gods were merciful, it would be the right way back to school. Thankfully it was.

He looked around. He stood in the center of the concrete paths that connected all the buildings. Where was he supposed to go? Oh right, his schedule. He fished the damp thing out of his pocket. The whole paper was completely ruined. It hung in tatters from his fingers, the ink illegible where Luffy had wiped it on his pants. It was as useful as a used tissue.

This was all Luffy’s fault; that stupid boy swept Zoro into his pace. He was unlucky, an omen of bad fortune. The physical manifestation of his horrible day.

Zoro was so very tempted to go home. So very. The first day of school was all rules and syllabuses anyway. It’s not like he’d learn anything. Then again, walking the whole way home without a bus seemed like a pain in the ass. Sleep was much easier. 

There was a large tree in the middle of the campus, its leafy bows cast a thick shade that looked perfect for napping. Maybe there was a third solution to his dilemma. Laying his bag in the lush grass, Zoro leaned back and closed his eyes. Whatever. School would figure itself out.

-=-

A rough kick in his thigh woke him from his nap. The sun was still high but it was definitely past noon.

“You can’t sleep here,” a backlit shadow said, kicking him again. 

Zoro stretched and yawned. “What time is it?” 

“Why should I have to tell you? Figure it out yourself.” 

Eyes adjusting to the light, Zoro could see a blond boy about his height standing over him looking angry. 

A girl who was half hidden behind him tapped him on his shoulder. “Sanji, it's okay, we can sit somewhere else.” 

The blond boy turned, gentle expression replacing the harsh lines he’d shown Zoro. “Don’t worry, Vivi-chwan, I will get rid of this boar and then we can have our romantic date.” 

By the looks of Vivi it seemed that this wasn’t what she wanted at all. 

"Some date," he mumbled under his breath. 

"What was that, muscles for brains?" 

“Say that to my face.” Zoro stood and unzipped his case, pulling out a shorter shinai in one fluid motion. He locked eyes with the playboy, feet sliding into a defensive stance. 

Zoro caught the blue haired girl rolling her eyes. He watched in horror as he face flipped like a light switch. She put on a mask of distress, tears already swimming in her large eyes. This is exactly why he liked swords more than girls. That ability was more dangerous than anything he’d ever learned in his dojo.

Vivi turned her shining eyes on Sanji, tugging on his sleeve. "I don't want you fighting again." 

"Anything for you, Vivi-chu~an," Sanji sing-songed in that same sickly sweet voice. He whipped around, glaring daggers at Zoro. "You got off lucky." 

“I don't have time to play with perverts, I gotta go to the office anyway.” 

"I don't care." Sanji was already busy laying out a blanket to sit on. _Who even brought a blanket with them to school?_

Zoro groaned. Today was not his day. He packed up his things and threw his bag over his shoulder, stomping away. 

Vivi didn’t even look up from the drink Sanji was pouring and pointed behind her. “The office is that way.” 

_That’s so creepy_ , he thought to himself, suppressing a shiver. _I knew it, girls are dangerous_. Zoro turned around and headed in the correct direction, ignoring the whispered, _'Don't help moss heads.'_. 

It took until the next bell to get his schedule reprinted, and by that time the sole class left was photography. _Great_. 

By some miracle, he made it to the photography class without getting lost and took a seat in the back. The class was in the portables, like most of the extracurriculars. Unlike other classes, it was stuffed with long tables instead of desks.

The teacher, a portly women with two-toned hair, stood in the corner. She shuffled papers as the students waded in. As soon as the late bell rang she turned and opened her mouth, but couldn’t get a word out before the door slammed open. The whole class shifted to look at the panting student who stood in the doorway, arms in the air. 

“You’re late." She turned to the class. "I don’t tolerate tardiness. Let this be a warning for the whole class; I’ll send you to detention for the hour if you come past the late bell. But since it's the first day, in the name of art, please take a seat. ” 

The last empty seat was the chair next to Zoro and as soon as the late kid came into view he regretted it. The sopping boy from this morning, who was now significantly more dry, marched in and took the seat like he owned it. 

Zoro pointedly ignored, what was his name again, Luci? And settled in to take a nap. Lulled by the boring topic of beautiful art, his eyes drooped lower and lower. 

_BANG_

"Dammit!" Zoro yelled, forehead throbbing. 

Half the class was laughing and the other half stared at him with their mouths open. He ignored them, gingerly touching the spot where his forehead met wood. He should've fallen asleep on the back of the chair instead of his fist. 

"As I was saying," the teacher said, louder than necessary. The students turned to face her. "There's no point in wasting today with a bunch of rules. Get out there and start creating art." 

_What's going on?_ Zoro looked around but all the students were packing up even though there was still a half hour left of class. _Must be letting us out early._ He gathered his bag and followed the group out. 

A few of the students pulled out cameras and started taking pictures of each other. Zoro figured he had the whole year for taking pictures and opted to practice. 

His Shinai was carefully wrapped in a protective cloth and he knelt to pull it out. It was shorter than his other Shinai. The two others were upgraded to tournament size 38. Still, he couldn't bring himself to part with this small 36 because it was _hers_. The last memory of her. His soulmate.

Zoro shrugged off his jacket. He bowed to the sword as if it were the practice hall, then picked up the shinai and started his drills. Feet gliding over the grass as his body preformed the movements by rote. All that was going through his mind were numbers as he counted each rep over and over and over again. 

Sweat glistened over his biceps and dripped down his back. His white shirt clung to his heaving chest, soaked to transparency. He loved the feeling of sweat, especially in the cool spring breeze. Grinning to himself, Zoro lifted Kuina's Shinai in a high arc and brought it down with a snap. Hm, that sounded strange. He tried it again and heard the same odd off-timed snap. 

Pausing, Zoro looked around. A glint caught his eye. There, Luci was squatting down in the bushes. His straw hat hung low across his face, the camera covering the rest of it. He's like some kind of pervy old man.

"Hey!" Zoro yelled at him. What the hell did he think he was doing over there? 

Gasping, Luffy capped his camera and took off sprinting. "Thanks for the shots," he called out over his shoulder, grinning. 

No way was Zoro about to let him get away with that. Without thinking, he abandoned his bag and took off running, shinai tight in his grasp. 

Zoro expected to catch up to him right away but Laffy—Fally, whatever his name was, was faster than he looked. Short legs or not. 

They ran past the gym and cut through the baseball field. Unfortunately, track and field was in full force. Students ran and jumped and lounged as they practiced. Luffy dodged the track team, sliding through two people passing a baton. Zoro almost took out a cheerleader. They both tumbled to a halt behind a storage shed on the outskirts of the field. 

Red rust dripped in jagged lines down the corrugated metal and the door hung half open. Inside, shadows of deflated balls and haphazardly stacked hurdles collected dust. Sounds of the other students were all but gone and a strange pressure seemed to hang in the air. The hair on the back of Zoro's neck stood on end, but he ignored it.

They were both bent over gasping to catch their breath. Zoro wasn’t going to let a little thing like _lack of air_ stop him from hounding this dumb kid with questions. 

"You!" _Gasp_. "What were you doing..." _Wheeze_. "Creeping with your camera?" Zoro gave up on trying to control his breath and let himself fall to the ground. The other boy must have thought that was a great idea because he soon followed. 

Luci laughed through his teeth, “Shi-shi-shi. My bad.”

Zoro shivered, his sweat making the shade and wind a little too cold. "That doesn't tell me what you were doing. Or _why_." Tisking to himself he muttered, "Annoying." 

The boy stuck out his tongue. "I was taking your picture." The sentence came out so matter of fact and made the whole situation seem so normal that Zoro almost let it slide. 

"You were..." His mouth started but his brain was slow to catch up. It took a moment before he could turn his thoughts into semi-coherent words. "For photography class?" 

"Nope." 

Wait. "What?" He was sure that was going to be the answer; it was the only reason he could come up with. 

The boy sat up. In the shadow of the shed the diffused sunlight cast a golden hue over his black hair. Unlike every time Zoro'd seen him before, he looked serious. His mouth turned down in a frown and his eyes pierced through Zoro's soul. "I'm Luffy. I want you to help me destroy this school." 

Okay. So. Zoro was all alone in the furthest part of school, tucked away from other people and stuck with a crazy person. _Fantastic_. This guy lived on a different planet and worked from a different set of rules, what the actual hell. Luc—Luffy was an enigma. And one he was going to avoid. He didn't want to destroy the school. He wanted to join the kendo circle, get scouted, and make it as a pro. He was going to become the best swordsman East Blue—no the world, had ever seen. Destroying the school was, at the least, not in his plans. At the most, it could completely destroy the future his mom worked hard to give him. 

Zoro didn't even bother to reply. He got up, dusted off his pants, and walked away. 

"Wait!" Luffy called after him, but Zoro ignored it. 

The best thing he could do was try and avoid this kid for the next three years. Ugh, maybe he could convince his mom to let him transfer. 

There it was again, that heaviness in the air that made his nerves ring alarm bells. He paused, hand already reaching for his shinai when Luffy yelled, "Watch out!" 

But it was all a fraction too late. Zoro could do nothing but brace for impact; sword at the ready. He successfully deflected the beast but now he was stuck. Dripping fangs gnawed on his shinai. 

Bamboo cracked under strong jaws. "Hey, this isn’t your bone!" His muscles reacted before his brain registered what was happening. With a quick flick of his shinai and a kick to the dog's face it let go, jumping back with a whine. 

Luffy ran between him and the _thing_ and squatted down. Putting one fist on the ground, he glared up at the animal. Zoro could see, now, that it was no dog. The black mass was about the size of a big dog but it had no distinguishable face or body. There was no way this creature was real; it looked like it came straight from a nightmare. Glowing eyes, too many teeth, and too many claws in a formless cloud. Blood pounded in his ears and the world shifted as his body threatened to pass out. 

In the blink of an eye both the monster and Luffy shot forward. Luffy charged straight for it, but the _thing_ swerved. It rolled to the side and ran full force toward Zoro. 

He shook off the woozy feeling of reality being torn to shreds and readied his sword, then hesitated. This was Kuina's, and it already had two semi-circles of teeth marks drilled into the wood. He needed to use a different shinai but his bag was back by the photography building. He had no choice, a large maw opened to rows and rows of teeth. He could feel its hot breath on his face; it smelled putrid, like a thousand rotting corpses. He gagged.

Right before impact, a blur sprung between him and the monster. Luffy'd stopped it, clipping the monster with his shoulder. Fangs sank down into soft flesh as Zoro watched, stunned and unmoving. 

Luffy cuffed the monster with his free hand, knocking it loose. It wobbled a moment, dazed. Pivoting, Luffy raised his foot in the air and slammed his heel down on the monster's face. The shadow form flickered, fizzed like static, then glitched out of existence. Luffy fell to his knees, clutching his shoulder. Blood seeped between his fingers. 

Zoro didn't think; he moved on instinct. Pulling his bandana from his arm, he rushed forward, landing hard next to Luffy. 

Without having to ask, Luffy pulled his hand out of the way and Zoro got a good look at the damage. The flesh was ripped in jagged holes but the blood was thick and already clotting. 

"This might hurt," he warned. With clumsy fingers he wrapped his bandana around the wound truncate tight. He was careful not to touch the blood or any skin, instead, keeping tight hold to the edges of the bandana as he worked. To his credit, Luffy didn't so much as wince. 

Zoro would definitely need to take him to the nurse's office, but how would they explain it?

_He was bitten by a large nightmare cloud but don't worry it disappeared after he kicked it._

Yeah, right. 

So, instead, he sat down in the grass, one leg sprawled out, not quite touching the other boy. "What was that?" 

"A _Jaga_." Luffy picked at the bandana, shifting it so that it covered more of the wound. Zoro was no doctor and didn't do much more than tie it haphazardly around his shoulder. 

He cast a blank stare back at Luffy. They spoke the same language but he could never understand a word the boy said. "A what?"

"I can't tell you unless you agree to join me." 

Growling, Zoro grabbed his sword and stood up. "I refuse. You're crazy and I'm hallucinating because I didn't eat lunch. I don't have time to play your stupid game." 

Luffy stood, reaching back to the hat that hung around his neck. He slipped it on and stared at Zoro from under the brim with those same intense eyes. An eerie feeling that he'd seen this before sent goosebumps crawling down his spine. 

"This isn't a game. I'm going to become the Phantom King and take down the rats infesting this school and the world. I've decided that I need your help, so you're going to join me." 

He could feel his face go hot with anger. Who did this kid think he was? Zoro had his own ambitions and goals...yet, those eyes. Something flared in Zoro that he thought died along with Kuina. That same passion, that same conviction. He thought he'd never see it again, yet it radiated from this boy in waves.

The words left his mouth before his brain could think about them. It didn't seem to matter, as soon as he said them he knew he was bound by them. "Fine, but if this interferes with me becoming the greatest swordsman in the world, I’ll kill you."

A grin spread on Luffy's face and his eyes softened. "It's a deal, then." Purple smoke surrounded Luffy and spread in a swirling whirlwind. His hat flew off, catching around his neck by the string and flapped violently in the torrent. Zoro covered his eyes with his forearm, taking a step back. The bamboo in his hand bent and distorted until he was holding a real katana, the world flashed. Ash rained from the sky and buildings lay decimated around them. All but a single spire. The impossible building stretched into the flaming heavens where the school once was.

The wind was a cacophony of screams and Zoro realized he was screaming too. The boy who was once in front of him warped as well and in that moment Zoro saw him for what he was. A benevolent demon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3 please tell me what you think! Comments are equal to me writing faster and caring more about this story. 
> 
> Also my plan for sanji is to set him up with random girls through the whole story (exactly like canon) because i really only have two ships which can be drawn like this: Zoro/Luffy/Law
> 
> Don't worry about other pairings if you're not here for that, the only true pairings will be ones mentioned in the tags, sanji is the ultimate friendzone XD
> 
> Would anyone be interested in the spotify playlist for this fic? <_< its a lot of a great big world.....
> 
>  
> 
> [Hit me up on Tumblr!](http://yuzuling.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro is so gay and doesn't know it, Luffy knows more than he's letting on

The diner table felt solid under his arms and the overstuffed bench bounced as he slid into the booth. All-in-all, everything felt real. At least, as much as Zoro could tell. So, they must be back in reality. Though, _that_ had also felt real. He shook it off; he didn't want to think about that nightmare. So, why was he here, then? Sitting, casual as could be, across from the demon boy? Not that he looked like a demon now, anymore. Whatever.

Luffy wasn't so awful, he guessed. Physically. He didn't know him personally. What he's trying to say is that Luffy seems in shape for being so scrawny looking. Yes. That's all. Even in his other form he was quite--

A hot cup of coffee rescued him from his thoughts.

"And a combo platter for you," the waiter said, stepping back to assess their table. "The sugar and cream are here, and there's ketchup, tabasco, and BBQ sauce there. Do you need anything else?"

Zoro shook his head, he liked is coffee black. Luffy munched _No_ around a mouthful of steak. "Press the button if you need me." The waiter bowed slightly and left.

With shaking fingers, Zoro wrapped both hands around the warm mug. It'd only been thirty minutes since they came back from nightmare-land and he didn't trust himself not to spill it. What he should’ve been worried about was breaking it. The mug cracked and hot liquid poured out right into his palms.

“Shit,” he whispered under his breath. Licking the coffee off his hand he reached for some napkins to stop the flow.

Luffy didn't seem to notice his dilemma, which was good, but he also wasn’t talking, which was bad. Instead, he was scarfing down food like a vacuum. Zoro was glad he snuck by his little blunder, but the coffee was still draining and his napiking was almost soaked. Plus, he wanted answers.He wished he could chalk up the whole ordeal to temporary insanity, but if there really was this other world, than he wanted it know.

Pulling more napkins, he let his coffee slowly drain into the wad as he eyed the bandana still tied to Luffy’s shoulder. Dried blood spotted the surface, blending into the dark fabric. It reminded him how real all of this was. No ignoring it, then.

He cleared his throat, but the eating continued. With a sigh, he decided to get it over with. "So, what was that? Are you going to tell me or are you going to eat the plate too."

Luffy paused, spaghetti hanging between his mouth and the plate. He slurped up the last of it and swallowed before sitting back. Red sauce created a mosaic pattern over his skin and his lips were shiny with grease.

Zoro's grip tightened on the mug. "Well?"

"Hmm.” Luffy’s brow creased in concentration.

Zoro’s finger twitched, wanting to smooth the wrinkled skin. He didn’t realize how hard he was staring at Luffy’s forehead until he spoke and Zoro’s gaze flicked back to bright eyes.

“I can't tell you." A sheepish smile spread across Luffy’s face and he wiggled to get out of the booth.

Zoro slammed his foot on the seat, stopping the boy from escaping. "What do you mean, you can't tell me?"

Luffy sighed, but scooted until his back was pressed against the wall. He stretched out his legs, feet barely touching Zoro's. Zoro tensed. He hated this kind of situation. If he put his leg down to avoid Luffy, would he notice? What would he think of Zoro’s retreat? Social norms were not his forte. Zoro chose to bare the awkwardness of almost touching in favor of making sure the other boy couldn't escape.

"It's hard to explain," Luffy said, clacking his sandals together and brushing the loose fabric of Zoro's pants with every swing.

"Well I've already agreed to this insanity, the least you can do is explain."

Luffy looked away, picking his nose with his pinky. “I don’t wanna.”

“Just try!” He kicked the bench to emphasize his point. This boy was going to be the end of him.

Sighing, Luffy turned to face him as he flicked a booger off his finger. The air shifted and everything felt more serious. "I can't explain it well, _he_ was always the one to explain complicated things.” Zoro recognized the shadow that passed over his face. He knew that look well; he’d worn it for years.

“But, there's something evil at this school. It's one of the seeds of despair and," Luffy twirled his hands, mouth opening as if he couldn't find any words."Well, the point is I have to fight them and you have to help me." Luffy's eyes were sharp, conveying feelings he couldn’t put into words.

Zoro felt exposed under those eyes. He shifted. The moment held like a breath between them as Zoro thought about Luffy's poor explanation. The words were lacking but the emotions Zoro understood at his core. He could feel something inside himself wanting whatever those sharp eyes were offering. Revenge? Destruction? A new world? He didn't know, exactly, but that was also part of the appeal.

"I understand," he said at last and time started again like an exhale.

Grinning, Luffy pointed to the table. “Your coffee is all out instead of in.”

Zoro looked down at his mushy napkins and a table full of coffee. His mug was nearly empty; the only thing keeping the coffee from spilling into his lap was a short lip that ran the length of the table. “Dammit.” He’d completely forgotten about cracking the mug.

Luffy grabbed a fistful of napkins and started to sop it up. “You should be more careful. Coffee doesn’t belong on the table.”

“I know that!” Zoro snapped. Was Luffy that dense or was he trying to tease him?

They cleaned up the mess together, using all the napkins in the box and half the napkins on an adjacent table. Luffy piled them into a small mountain and looked satisfied with his work.

“Shouldn’t we clean them up?”

“It’s fine.” Luffy wiggled out of the booth, leaving Mt. Napkin for the waiter to clean up. "Then, meet me at midnight at the school entrance."

"Do I have to?" Zoro looked at his empty mug and pushed it away. His mom came home so late, if she found out he was sneaking around she'd lose sleep and be tired for work the next morning. Not to mention the grounding.

Luffy nodded. "An order from your captain."

"Oh, ho. We have titles now. Then I want to be Zoro, world's greatest swordsman." Zoro's cheeky grin faltered with Luffy's stern look.

"I'd expect no less of my crew." Luffy was like the sky, ever changing and hard to predict. Storm clouds seemed to roll on and off his face, switching places with the sun at a moment’s notice.

Zoro didn’t like that look on his captain. He decided smiles fit the boy much better. "We're a crew now? I feel like you're making this up as you go."

"Of course. It's only been me until now. I've never had a crew before. You're the first!"

Zoro felt a tickle at the pit of his stomach, it fluttered up his chest and grew until it burst out of him with a guffaw. If nothing else, at least life would be more entertaining with his new companion and maybe school would become worth going to. Luffy joined him until they were both doubled over, clutching their stomachs. This whole situation was ridiculous. Preposterous. Unbelievable. Yet, here they were, two teenage boys forming some kind of midnight crew to break into their school and kill shadow monsters. If he couldn't laugh, he might go crazy.

 

-=-

Steam fogged up the mirror and Zoro used his forearm to wipe it away. He leaned in close, clutching the towel to his waist and examined his teeth before his reflection fogged up again. He brushed, rinsed, and gargled before stepping out into the chilly hall. Water dripped from his hair, leaving a trail of dark spots and wet footprints to his room. Stepping around his weights, he picked his way to his closet. Two piles of his clothes sat on the floor, one clean and one dirty. Only he knew which one was which. He threw the towel in the dirty pile and squatted to pick through the clean one.

He found a suitable pair of underwear and a top that was soft with age. The shirt said _ONigiri_ under a smiling riceball and on the back it had a sleeping one with the words _OFFigiri_. Kuina bought it for him on his twelfth birthday, but it still fit even if it was a bit tight. It rode up his stomach just a bit, leaving a stripe of abs between his waistband and his hem. His mom was constantly trying to throw it away, saying she’d get him a new sleeping shirt. He wouldn’t let her though; the shirt held too many precious memories. Plus, it still made him laugh.

Hair still dripping, he made his way downstairs and checked on dinner. His mom should be home any minute now. As he passed the table he reached into his backpack for his cell phone and remembered it was still lost. Damn, he'd need to check the dojo tomorrow. Dinner was cooking fine at a low simmer and nothing was on fire. All he had to do now was wait.

He took out two bowls and two spoons and sat down to work on some homework. There wasn't much. He'd missed most of his classes and the ones he did attend didn't assign work. There was still his photography he had to do, but after what happened last time he didn't really have the heart to work on it.

Giving up, he let his head fall to the table. He'd just close his eyes for a second, his mom would be home soon anyway.

A screaming alarm woke him up with a start. Plumes of dark smoke stung his eyes and he coughed. _What was going on? Oh, shit the curry!_ The pot was sputtering smoke as the lid jiggled. He turned the stove off and grabbed the pot handles. "Ah! Shit. Fuck, that's hot." He tore the towel from the oven door and used it to move the pot off the burner. Then he ran to the window and opened it. Sucking in a lungfuls of clean air, he leaned as far out as he could without falling. Taking one last giant gulp, Zoro dove back inside. He punched the fire alarm button until it shut up. Then, with dread, he turned towards the burnt pot.

The curry was dried to a crisp. It looked more like charcoal than food. Zoro slammed the lid down.

Damn it, burned again. Why did he even try? Not to mention that he, along with the whole house, smelled like smoke.

The time on the stove glowed 10:58 PM. Good thing his mom was late, maybe he'd have time to clean up.

Zoro propped open every door and window to let fresh air in and set to cleaning the mess he'd made. At 11:30 his mom came home to a breezy house, a plate full of onigiri, and a sleeping, smudged son. A tender hand ran through his hair and a light kiss fluttered on the whorl at the top of his head. He smiled and tucked deeper into his arms. A blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a soft _goodnight_ was whispered into his hair.

The kitchen lights flicked off and Zoro blinked into the darkness. He stretched, letting the blanket fall from his shoulders. It caught on the chair and hung, dangling above the floor.

The glowing clock showed 11:58. Shit, Luffy.

Zoro didn't know what he'd need for whatever they were going to do so he just did his normal Zoro-thing. He threw on a pair of pants and grabbed his shinai. He reached for his bandana that usually hung near the door and remembered Luffy still had it. He’d have to get it back from him tonight. If he didn’t leave now, he’d miss the last bus.

 

-=-

School: 12:47 AM

The front gate was locked. Zoro could hop it, but it was already so late that there was a chance that Luffy'd already left. If it were him, _he_ would've. He was almost an hour late; someone would have to be crazy to wait that long. He shouldn’t have even left the house.

With a sigh, Zoro looked up at the sky. It was clear but only one or two stars could be seen through the light pollution. Lame. From Kuina's dojo he could see millions of stars. They would lay in the grass, sweaty from sparing and stare at the sea of stars. Kuina would name them and Zoro would remember. They’d have arguments when she named a star twice which would be settled by combining the names. Zoro couldn’t remember them anymore. It's almost as if she took the stars with her.

"Yo!"

Zoro jumped with an undignified yelp. He fumbled with his shinai case as he spun on his attacker. "Luffy," he sighed in relief, dropping his guard. Zoro scuffed his shoe against the concrete. _Did he notice my freakout? Of course he saw that, idiot, how could he miss it?_

Luffy leaned against the bars, face pressed into the gap as far as it would go. "You made it! We don't have much time, but that's okay. I'm just glad you came." He smiled but it was squished inside the bars and looked like a creepy fish face.

"Yeah, sorry for being late. Where is this thing anyway?"

But Luffy didn't answer, he was already walking away. Zoro half hoped that Luffy would laugh and tell him it was one big joke. Unfortunately, Luffy seemed to still be playing this whole business straight. Zoro sighed. He gave his word, so he was going to follow Luffy. _Even if this is all batshit._

In one smooth motion he hefted himself up and over the gate, landing hard in his boots. It took a moment to catch up to Luffy. He was standing under the big tree where Zoro’d napped and was holding something in his hands. He jogged up, closing the distance between them so he could see what it was in the dim light. His cell phone. “What the--”

Luffy looked unsure for the first time in Zoro’s memory. Was that pink on his cheeks?

Taking the phone, he flipped it over and over in his hands. Yeah, the worn sticker of his current dojo stuck to the cracked and beat up case, the small chip in the screen protector, the three katanas that dangled from the phone strap-- There was no mistake. “How did you get this? It’s mine.”

“It just happened,” Luffy said, looking away.

Zoro flicked his thumb to unlock it and the screen lit up, fully charged. He swiped through his phone, checking texts and closing incognito tabs he’d forgotten to close. Everything was just as he left it; everything except one strange app in the shape of a skull and crossbones. It glowed red and as soon as Zoro saw it he couldn’t take his eyes off it. Without thinking, he tapped it open. Horrified, he tried to close it before it could load. He scrambled to swipe the app away but the whole thing locked up. He glared at Luffy but the boy wasn’t looking at him. He had his own phone out.

Zoro’s phone spoke, “Navigating to Baba Jaga.”

The air felt heavy like it had during the dog attack. His ears popped as the pressure shifted and Zoro froze. It was like nothing and everything changed all at once. Nothing because there was no wind swooping past them dramatically or any cinematic crash through dimensions. And everything because one moment he was in the normal world and the next he was in a YA dystopian novel.

The spire from before shimmered against the red sky as ash fell around them like snow. The grotesque architecture was definitely unsound. Bulging levels hung over each other, threatening to crumble. Some places looked almost concave, as if the tower itself was hollow.

Zoro stared at it, mouth agape. It was so distracting in its surrealness that he almost missed the motion at its base. Hundreds of shadow dogs from earlier paced the bottom like they were guarding the thing. They crawled over each other with razor claws that left ribbons of red behind on their companions.

"What the everloving fu-"

Luffy cut him off, holding a finger up and shushing him. Zoro snapped his mouth shut. He lowered his voice and leaned down closer to Luffy. "Is this the school?"

Luffy nodded. "Kinda. It’s the school's shadow I guess." He inhaled through his teeth as he searched for the right words, "It’s one of seven seeds planted by the world government and we're going to destroy it."

Zoro chewed on this information. If he was being honest with himself, he had no idea what he was getting himself into. He didn't fully understand what was going on and he didn't really know Luffy. It also seemed like Luffy knew more than he was letting on. All that considered, when he looked into Luffy's eyes there was a fire there that Zoro admired. He wanted to follow that fire and see where it took him, even if he got burned. And now that he knew about this batshit world, well, it was hard to ignore. This was definitely more fun than class.

"Just tell me how, Captain, and I'll destroy whatever you want." He still felt like he was playing make believe whenever he said stuff like that.

A slow smile crept across Luffy's face; it made Zoro's stomach tie into knots. Playing make believe was worth it.

"We need to get there." Luffy pointed to the top of the spire, almost hidden by the falling ash. "Once we're there we should be able to destroy the building."

"Right, then let's go." Zoro jerked to a stop from a tug on his shirt. He looked back to see Luffy holding a fistfull of shirt. "I thought you wanted to get to the top?" Zoro frowned.

"There's no time--"

Zoro was going to listen to the rest of whatever Luffy was saying, he swore he was. But at that moment there was a flash, like fire shooting across the sky and then the tower began to crumble. Huge stones toppled down, crashing into the ground and spraying debris everywhere. Without thinking, Zoro launched himself at Luffy, pushing them both out of the way of an incoming boulder. Electricity tingled down his spine at the contact, but he ignored the now growly familiar feeling. The narrowly escaped boulder fizzled like TV static and faded pixel by pixel.

"You can get off me now."

Zoro yelped, scrambling backwards. Buzzing prickled across his skin and for a moment he was worried he’d disappear too. "I didn't mean—the rocks they were-- "

Pushing himself halfway up, Luffy watched the tower fall. "The witching hour is over."

Zoro's back was to the tower but he could see it's reflection in Luffy's eyes. "So that means we only have an hour to get to the top of that giant-ass building surrounded by rabid ghost-dogs or it’ll collapse with us inside? Easy."

Luffy laughed, falling back and clutching his stomach. "Yeah super easy." The red sky faded to the familiar starless black expanse and Luffy's giggles mingled with the soft buzz of city night. Even at this late hour, the sound of cars hummed from the nearby street. The world was back to normal.

Zoro watched it all, watched the world change along with Luffy or maybe it was changing for him. He wasn’t sure how the witching hour worked and he was pretty sure it should all freak him out. But, honestly, he thought this might be the beginning of an addiction. A mad smirk spread across his face. It felt like the first time he held a sword.

The adrenaline high was unreal, there was a literal other world and it belonged only to them. Well, them and the ghost-dogs... and whatever lived in the tower, but also _them_. If nothing else, this was going to be the best school year ever. He barely felt the electricity from his spine soften into a shiver or notice the glowing red of his left hand, it was probably the weird app on his phone.

"How far is your house? I think the busses stopped."

Shocked out of his thoughts Zoro realized that he was forty minutes away from home by bus with no busses. "Fuck."

"Did you wanna stay over at my place? I live around the block." He nodded toward the ocean.

Zoro shifted, his mom would worry if she woke up without him home, but then again, she was always gone by the time he got up anyways. She might not even notice. Plus, he had his phone back, he could text her some excuse. "What about your parents?" He asked instead.

"Gramps? He's fine, don't worry. Come on." Luffy stood, dusting off his shorts. He gestured for Zoro to follow and they made their way off school grounds.

Luffy's house was close to the school, though, “around the block” was a bit of an exaggeration. There was a large shopping center and a few streets separating his neighborhood from the school. But, the sea was practically Luffy's back yard and a part of Zoro wanted to lay in the sand. Luffy turned down the street and Zoro abandoned his thoughts. If he lost sight of Luffy, he might not find his way back for hours.

Pointing, Luffy lead Zoro up the small path to his house. It stood on wooden legs to keep the sea from coming through the front door. It was small and cozy with peeling paint worn down by ocean breezes. All the lights were out, so they shuffled down the hallway using the walls as a guide. Luffy opened a door on their left and the hall flooded with moonlight.

Luffy's room was nothing like Zoro imagened. He figured it would be similar to his own; messy with workout equipment ready to stub any toes that dared walk the wrong path and piles of clothes thrown about. Maybe some video games or long forgotten toys stuffed in a corner. Y’know. Normal.

But not Luffy's. No, Luffy's was like an ocean paradise. Maps of different islands lined the walls with crayon paths that lead to X's. Tacks were pinned to mark different areas that meant nothing to Zoro. Small scribbles under each map told a date and a treasure, some of the dates were in the future while others were long past. But the centerpiece was a handmade flag with ASL scrawled across it in colorful letters that hung on the ceiling. All the furniture was carved with care from driftwood with intricate patterns of ships. It smelled of wind and salt and seemed full of adventure. It was nothing like Zoro's.

It took Zoro's brain a moment to take in all the minute details that were stuffed in such a small space. He could explore this room every day and still find something new. Though as cluttered as the rest of the room was, one wall seemed awfully bare. It held two hats. Luffy must really like hats seeing as he dedicated a whole section of wall to them. With absolute care a hat with beads hung above a mounted dagger and next to it was a slightly tattered top hat with goggles. The third peg was empty and must be for the one he was currently wearing. Though, Zoro wouldn't be surprised if that peg was never used. Why even have so many hats if you were only going to wear one?

The only oddity was Luffy's bed. All the furniture seemed handmade with love, but the bed was hacked off in jagged edges. The carvings on the bed were sawed clean through without care for the small pictures. It looked as if were once a bunk bed that had its top sawed off. Part of a ladder protruded from the footboard and there were scuffs against the wall where upper bunks might have rubbed against it.

"You can have the bed, I'll take the floor." Luffy said, throwing open his closet and rifling through it.

"I'm not a girl. I’ll take the floor."

Luffy didn't argue, instead he pulled blankets and pillows from the closet and dropped them on the floor. Together they rolled out the futon and piled on blankets until it was almost as tall as the bed. Luffy turned toward the closet again and threw something at Zoro's head. He caught it before it could hit him in the face. Examining it in the dim light it looked to be--

"Pajamas. I don't think any of my clothes would fit you but Ac-- uh, these might. You can change in here, I have to brush my teeth."

Luffy before Zoro could politely refuse and tell him he could sleep in his own clothes. Oh well, might as well change. He held up the soft pajamas to his chest, yeah, they seemed about right. He slipped out of his own clothes and into the borrowed pajamas. They smelled like everything else in the room, like Luffy, except a bit musty. They must not be worn often, Zoro thought to himself as he crawled into his makeshift bed.

By the time Luffy got back, Zoro was already nodding off. It was only Luffy bumping into something on the floor that brought him back to full consciousness.

"Thanks again for letting me stay over," Zoro mumbled, voice full of sleep.

"Don't worry about it, I live close, it only makes sense." Luffy settled into the sheets, strawhat still looped around his neck. Well, that answered one of Zoro's questions.

The moonlight dimmed as clouds rolled by, casting the room in complete darkness. Zoro cleared his throat. "And you're sure that your Gramps isn't going to mind me staying the night?"

"It's just us. That old fart is at headquarters so I'm alone till next week. I can do whatever I want."

"Like take down the school?"

Luffy giggled and the room brightened. The clouds must've passed, though Zoro couldn't see any better than before. "Yeah. Though, that geezer’d be super pissed if he found out. He has other plans for me."

"Like what?" Zoro strained his neck to look up at where he thought Luffy's face might be.

"Join the marines. Report to someone else for the rest of my life. Something like that." Springs creaked and sheets rustled. When Luffy spoke again his voice was louder, closer. "I'm never going to that. I'm going to be free."

Zoro didn't say anything but he didn't feel pressured to say something, either. In their short time together, he never felt the need to be more than what he was. Luffy didn’t seem to want Zoro’s platitudes. It was a relief. Most of his peers found him too serious or too quiet. Not Luffy. The only thing Luffy'd demanded out of him was what Zoro had freely given. He didn’t think his words were any different.

Comfortable silence floated over them and allowed space for the lullaby of crickets. The ocean was far enough away that he couldn't tell if he could hear waves or if it was Luffy's soft breathing.

Was it weird to be sleeping over at a boy's house? Zoro wasn't sure. He'd never gone to a sleepover before, though Kuina seemed to go to one every weekend. Sometimes, he'd stay overnight at the dojo and crash on her floor. But this was different. How? Zoro couldn't pinpoint. Maybe it was how the beating of his heart quickened when Luffy smiled or the goosebumps that traveled up his arms when they touched. Whatever it was, sleeping over at a boy's house was very different.

His phone lit up next to his pillow. He reached over and flicked the screen to see a new text.

_Mom:  
next time you should bring your friend over_

Zoro smiled and let his phone slip from his hands. His eyelids grew heavy and sleep tugged at his consciousness. His breathing grew deeper and longer as Luffy's room faded away. A hand brushed his cheek and his eyelashes fluttered for a moment before the dreams took over.

A washed bandana dangled outside, drying in the night air. The moon shone through the window and soft beams danced on two sleeping faces. One fist wrapped tight in the shirt of the other as it dangled from the bed.

"Goodnight," a voice whispered so softly that the air barely moved. And the boys slept on.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one asked for the spotify play list for this fic but i'm gonna give it to you anyway! [ZoLu Playlist for Kaleidoscope](https://open.spotify.com/user/2g2yac8bw8sb55oj3ccseogc7/playlist/3AAy2HYnAMcMlTgYt3ufwC?si=fo98xVWUS-uxOHveWEfVzw)  
> Special thanks to Yambles and Nikole for betaing this mess before i sent it out /o/
> 
> I'm really excited to see where this goes!!! they both have baggage and they both are learning how to be friends. :3 Next chapter is going to be more fluffy school bits and new crew members!! Lmk what you wanna see for the next chapter i'll see if i can give you guys some ZoLu 
> 
>  I wrote part of this on the Straw Hat Grand Fleet discord and they demanded a _moment_ between the two. did you guys like the little night scene? not that zoro will remember any of it >:3
> 
> [Hit me up on Tumblr!](http://yuzuling.tumblr.com)
> 
> EDIT: alskdjflskdjf AMAZING ARTWORK by the fantastic [looklingart](https://looklingart.tumblr.com/)<3 <3


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